As the title says, is it any good?

Interesting premise - magic AND technology in the same world, both competing for supremacy.

I bought the game and i think its great!
You have ALOT of freedom and there are alot of subsubquests.
I think the combat sucks but its not very important anyway.
You also get the change to choose any skill for any character as long as your statts are high enough. So feel free to make a fighter-mage-thief if thats what ya like. There are quite a few downsides to the game but i think its great none the less.

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Those who watch their backs meet death from the front- Dreamer128 Demonslayer of the OHF.

Paladin of the order, first bodyguard of Lady Lioness and defender of Castle Kerhelm

Tried the demo, slow on my computer, but cool with all the personalities and stuff.

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"Oh King to whom all birds are dear, speed now this feathered shaft, and recall some pity for the Noldor in their need."

-Fingon's prayer to Manwë as he prepared to shoot Maedhros

*groan*
I wish I knew! I have had this game for over a week, but my PC is in bits at the moment.
I like the idea though, I think I will take the tech route first, it will make a change from magic! Make sure you dl the patch - the gameplay is supposedly more balanced in the patched game.

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http://www.gldb.com/wayno/e1.jpg
Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas
Proud winner of the 'Most Useless Post 250 Has Ever Seen' Award 2001. "I'd just like to thank my friends and family, without whom none of this would have been possible..."

Its hard to determine wich is more powerfull since tech and magic are both very differend. Its all a mater of personal preference. Im currently playing a fighting with high pickpocket and summoning skills.


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Those who watch their backs meet death from the front- Dreamer128 Demonslayer of the OHF.

Paladin of the order, first bodyguard of Lady Lioness and defender of Castle Kerhelm

Fantastic game! I'm in the last segment and I'm over level 72 (level cap is 50)
Tech/Magick is a really really cool concept.

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No-Name Face

the only thing i dont like about this game is that there is no balance. i mean, im only lvl 10 and i can summon a lvl 30 ogre destroyer by allocating the right stuff.. plus, i can wear a full plate or dreadknight armor and still cast magic.. http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/frown.gif. i can wield any weapon and can still cast magic... its way unbalance for me ;(

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Revived I Am to hunt this world... Banish ye evil or face my wrath...

I hear the designers were also involved in the CRPG "Fallout". How similar is Arcanum to Fallout in game engine style?

I bought Fallout but didn't like it very much .. stopped playing after about 10 hours.

PangurBan http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/noncgi/smiles/cat.gif

I never had Fallout but I played Fallout 2, and completed it twice. Pretty good RPG, tho' not in the mould of traditional D&D, of course. Not for kids though, as some mature themes are dealt with in the game like sex and drugs.

The Arcanum engine is quite similar to the Fallout 2 engine, except for the lack of perks and the inventory, Arcanum's main problems are that:

1) Magic has been made FAR stronger than Technology(Try playing a mage and then a technologist and you'll see what I mean, Disentigrate can kill 95% of all foes in the game with one shot, how many tech weapons can do that?)

2) The game has three modes of combat, Turn-Based(TB), Real-Time(RT) and Fast Turn-Based(FTB), TB is good enough, RT is uncontrollable and only luck decides whether you win or lose, TBS supposedly has a lot of bugs, now, tell me which mode of combat I'v described most positively.

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Worshipper of Tiax.
Wielder of the ancient Lawyer spells.
Member of the HADB clan.

http://www.dabros.net/images/tcampbell/hadb5.jpg
http://imagehosting.bidbay.com/image.php3?imgID=637925 Ally of the Fluffy Queen and the Dreaded Red Fluffy
General of the highest class and Leader of the Legal Department in the IW Peacekeeping Force.
ORT member, Official Demander of Stuff.

Sorcerer of Lady Lioness' Court.

"If Silence is golden, why does everyone talk so much?"